Popular Post difalkner Posted November 14, 2023 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted November 14, 2023 On 11/13/2023 at 8:16 PM, Coop said: David, I really like your “ long reach “ clamps. Care to share a couple of picks of those? Glad to, Coop. I made the first one in the mid 80's when I replaced my first guitar top, used it to clamp the bridge in place. It's the darker one in the photo. I made the other two sometime in 2015. Seems like they call them cam clamps and there are a few different configurations but they work great and apply just enough pressure for a glue joint. I think StewMac sells some that are close to this in shape. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post difalkner Posted November 22, 2023 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted November 22, 2023 Did some carving on the braces, got a new chisel, and on to the next step! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
difalkner Posted November 30, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2023 I took the opportunity to use the CNC for a small piece on the guitar, cutting the neck block extension to support the fingerboard and also cutting the neck block itself after it was already glued to the rim (guitar sides). There was a bit of risk in doing this because I only had one shot at getting the neck block right or I would've had to do some serious recovery to fix any mistakes. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkinneb Posted November 30, 2023 Report Share Posted November 30, 2023 Great video David! Wish I had your computer skills Thanks for sharing! I have a guitar build on my woodworking bucket list just need to find someone in the family that can play it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
difalkner Posted November 30, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2023 Thank you so much! I enjoy both the computer side and the woodworking side, but I confess, the woodworking side is a little more therapeutic at times. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Swanson Jr. Posted November 30, 2023 Report Share Posted November 30, 2023 On 9/23/2023 at 8:37 PM, Tom King said: Like building most things, it looks perfect to everyone but the builder. You sure nailed that one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post difalkner Posted December 1, 2023 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted December 1, 2023 Today was a busy day on the guitar even though it doesn't appear much has changed. Lots of cutting on the sides for braces and a ton of sanding to get the sides to fit the radius of the top. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
difalkner Posted December 2, 2023 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2023 One more for today, and this one is a video I had not planned to make but it became necessary when I turned the lights out (glare angle) and saw how badly the top was dented. If you've ever steamed dents out then this is old news to you but if you've never seen this then maybe it will help you. Unfortunately, I've had to do this many, many times! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted December 3, 2023 Report Share Posted December 3, 2023 David, definitely a tip for me. I’ve heard of this being done but never seen it. Super simple, thanks for sharing. You mentioned the spruce being soft. Is there a reason you use this type of wood, sound quality maybe? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
difalkner Posted December 3, 2023 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2023 On 12/2/2023 at 6:55 PM, Coop said: David, definitely a tip for me. I’ve heard of this being done but never seen it. Super simple, thanks for sharing. You mentioned the spruce being soft. Is there a reason you use this type of wood, sound quality maybe? Thanks, Coop, glad it could help. I actually did a video on this years ago and it's somewhere on my YouTube channel. Yes, the Spruce is soft but its strength to weight ratio is amazing. Plus, it definitely sounds good; probably 75% of all acoustic guitars have a Spruce top of some flavor - Lutz, Sitka, Engelman, German, Moon, Adirondack, etc. Spruce has a good 'attack' when the strings are plucked but Redwood and WRC both sound a bit more mellow initially (Spruce catches up after a few years. Most pianos have Spruce soundboards, as well, and largely for the same reasons we use that on guitars. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post difalkner Posted March 29 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted March 29 I'm finally back out in the shop after a two-month absence due to prostate surgery. Light duty work only but I'll take it! Cut, fitted, and glued the Bubinga soundhole bracing - 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted March 29 Report Share Posted March 29 David, I hope your recovery is going smoothly! Time doing stuff you enjoy will help, for sure. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
difalkner Posted March 29 Author Report Share Posted March 29 Thank you! Yes, recovery is ahead of the curve according to my doctor. It isn't happening as quickly as I want but I don't guess I can rush this process. Working in the shop is good, even though it's small projects. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted March 30 Report Share Posted March 30 David, sorry to hear about the necessary surgery but darn glad to hear that it was successful! What kind of glue are you using that required the heat gun? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
difalkner Posted March 30 Author Report Share Posted March 30 On 3/29/2024 at 8:48 PM, Coop said: David, sorry to hear about the necessary surgery but darn glad to hear that it was successful! What kind of glue are you using that required the heat gun? Thanks, Coop. Yeah, we've known about it for a while and finally decided to go ahead and take care of it by having my prostate removed. The good news is he got everything; the pathology report said the margins were clear and my follow-up lab work last week showed my PSA to be 0.000 and I'll take that all day long! The heat gun was for using hot hide glue that I mixed from granules, 192 gram strength (higher the number the stronger the glue and the quicker it sets up). The 192 is most commonly used in Lutherie work - it's very strong and gives you just enough time before it sets up. So heating the wood gives a little extra time before it sets up. This was a pretty simple glue-up and the heat gun probably wasn't necessary. However, the last time I used hide glue and posted a video to a Luthier group on FB, some builder in Europe raked me across the coals for not preheating the wood. He was right, to a point, but I did preheat the wood only I didn't show it in the video. So this time I showed it so I didn't get flamed again. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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